Linkage interconnection



May 25, 1965 R. A. HucKlNs ETAL 3,185,510

LINKAGE INTERCONNECTION Filed Feb. 27, 196s United States Patent Oporation, East Hartford, Conn., "a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb.27,1963, Ser. No. 251,372 1 Claim. (Cl. 287-100) The present inventionrelates to a device for interconnecting two levers, which may be, forexample, a part of a control linkage, in such a way as to preventundesirable flexing of the offset control rods.

One feature of the invention is an arrangement of the joint between twolinks such that the joint is self-aligning but will limit the movementof the linkage members in one plane. A further feature is thearrangement of mechanical bumpers incorporated in the pivotal connectionwhich will allow one of the rods to move in a plane connection otherthan rotation about centerline of pin to some extent butvwill preventthe other rod from moving in a plane at any selected angle to this planeother than rotation about center line of pin connection.

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the specificationland claim, yand `from the accompanying drawing which illustrates anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the two rods with the interconnecting jointwith parts broken away to show the invention more clearly.

FIG. 2 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view looking in the direction of the arrow 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

Referring iirst to FIG. 1, the rods Zand 4 located substantially atright angles to one another are pivotally connected by the clevis joint6 in such a way as to provide for motion of the rod 2 in the directionrepresented,

by the arrows 8 of FIG. 2 but which will eiectively prevent movement ofthe link 4 with respect to the joint in the direction of the arrow 10 inFIG. 3.

To accomplish this, the rod 2 has an end cap 12 with an integral disc 14which tits between discs 16 and 18 on the end of the link 4. A pivot pin20 extends through the several discs and provides a pivotal connectionbetween the ends of the links. The `disc 14 is thinner than the spacebetween the discs 16 and 18 so that there is normally some clearancetherebetween and the disc 14 is held in position between the discsV 16and 18 by lianges 22 onV a part-spherical aligning bearing 24, theperiphery of which forms a section of a sphere and is received'in amating spherical recess 26 in the central disc 14. With thisarrangement, it is clear that the disc 14 is free to pivot on thespherical bearing within limits dened by ice A the spacing between thecentral disc 14 and outer discs 16 and 18.

To prevent free unlimited oscillating movement of the end of the link 4in the direction represented by the arrow 10, the opposite sides of thedisc 14 have machined thereon radially extending humps 28 adjacent tothe periphery of the disc and in a position to engage with the overlyingdiscs 16 and 18. Obviously, there are two sets of these humps located atpoints diagrammatically opposite to each other as shown in FIG. l Wherethe top disc 16 is broken away. Thus with this arrangement, although thelink 2 is free to move to a limited degree in the direction of thearrows 8, the link 4 is not free to move in the direction represented bythe arrows 10, being prevented by these humps.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiment herein illustrated and described, but may be used in otherways without departure from its spirit as defined by the followingclaim.

We claim.

A pivotal connection between two rods located approXimately at rightangles to each other, including a substantially annular flat discelement on the end of one rod, a bufurcated element including a pair ofHat discs on the end of the other rod, said pair of discs being spacedapart to receive between them said iirst flat disc element, the spacingof said pair of discs being greater than the thickness of said discelement to provide clearance therebetween, a part-spherical bearingpositioned in said iirst flat disc element, the latter having apartspherical internal surface engaging with said bearing, a pinextending through said discs and through said bearing element to holdsaid bearing in position between said pair of discs, said bearingproviding for pivotal movement of said llat disc element about the axisof said bearing, and a pair of projections located on each side of saidllat disc element and projecting into contact with said pair of flatdiscs, each of said projections extending radially outwardly withrespect to said pin, and said projections of each pair beingdiametrically opposite each other with respect to said pin in a planeincluding the axis of said bifurcated element to limit relative movementbetween said rods in a selected direction.

References Cited by the Examiner CARL W. TOM-LIN, Primary Examiner.

